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In these trying economic times, the last thing struggling couples need to worry about is the high cost of divorce. Fortunately, the emerging field of collaborative law enables couples to settle without engaging in costly litigation and also provides for additional legal counseling and other financial and mental health services for families of divorce. To learn more about the professional and personal benefits of practicing collaborative law, watch Lawline.com’s recent program “Why Would an Attorney Want to Practice Collaborative Law,” in which members of the New York Association of Collaborative Professionals provide answers to frequently asked questions about this growing field. After viewing this course and learning about the high level of job satisfaction of collaborative law practitioners, many will be interested in receiving training in this emerging area of law and adding it to their law firms’ practice areas. Also,
to learn more about specific families who have participated in the collaborative divorce process, read the following recent articles from DemocratandChronicle.com and WSJ.com, respectively: Collaborative divorce can help ease  transition and Breaking Up Without Breaking The Bank.

A short clip from the program can be viewed below:

Lawline.com faculty member and prominent criminal defense attorney George Parnham was recently featured in multiple news stories with respect to his representation of Joshua Woodrow Allen, Jr,. who pled guilty to murdering his 27 year old estranged wife.  Mr. Allen, Jr. whose original charge of capital murder could have resulted in a death sentence, was accused of sexually assaulting his wife, before he shot and killed her, and then shot himself in the face.   At sentencing, his attorney, Mr. Parnham, told the court that his client expressed remorse to his wife’s family and to his children. To read more on this highly publicized case, click on following links: Beaumont man gets 55 years for killing wife or Joshua Allen Jr. pleads guilty to wife's murder; gets 55 years. 

This is not the first time Mr. Parnham has been in the news representing a high profile client.  In fact, he was the defense counsel for Andrea Yates, the mother who suffered from postpartum depression and psychosis, and in 2001, drowned her five children in the bathtub in her home.  In 2006, Parnham assisted her in getting her capital murder conviction overturned when a second jury found her not guilty by reason of insanity.  To hear Mr. Parnham discuss his work on the Yates case in detail, watch Lawline.com’s recent CLE course, Strategic Use of the Insanity Plea in Criminal Defense.  In this program, Parnham provides helpful insights on the insanity plea and teaches viewers how to prepare a credible and sincere mental illness defense.  Parnham uses his 30 plus years of experience to demonstrate  the best manner to represent mentally ill individuals entangled in the criminal justice system.

Could you correctly answer all of the 100 possible civic questions posed to applicants for U.S. Citizenship, or even 10 of them?  To find out, watch Lawline.com’s newest immigration CLE program in which Kristen Wagner interviews immigration attorney Jessica Rhodes-Knowlton on the naturalization process.  Rhodes-Knowlton teaches viewers everything they need to know in order to qualify for U.S. citizenship, including tips on how individuals can successfully complete each step of the process. 

Additionally, for further insight into becoming a U.S. citizen, read Ariel Kaminer’s New York Times article Becoming a Citizen the Naturalized Way in which Ms. Kaminer writes about her journey (for journalistic purposes only) through the citizenship process from interviewing with the immigration officer and taking the exam to the emotional swearing in.  These two sources will teach you nearly everything you have always wanted to know about becoming a U.S. citizen and more.

Here is a great  new course, presented by Michael Raff, about New Jersey automobile insurance law. Michael Raff is an experienced litigation attorney at Raff & Raff LLP in New Jersey.

In this course, Mr. Raff provides a detailed outline of the different types of insurance policies in New Jersey and examines auto accident claims under the state's no-fault law. He outfits New Jersey practitioners with the tools they need to make sure their clients are adequately protected in the case of a motor vehicle accident.

In this preview of the lecture, New Jersey's status as a "no-fault" state is introduced, and the reasons behind this are discussed.

On March 29, 2010, in Association for Molecular Pathology, et al v. United States Patent and Trademark Office, et al,  the Southern District Court of New York held that isolated human gene sequences and the comparison of their sequences were not patentable subject matter under Section 101 of the United States Patent Act.  In granting the plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment, the court ruled that the patents for BRCA1 and BRCA2 breast cancer genes were invalid because the genes were “products of nature.” The court further explained that isolating a naturally occurring DNA sequence does not transform the DNA into patentable subject matter because the isolated DNA is not “markedly different” from the native DNA.  In issuing this significant decision, Judge Sweet ignored the rationale that has allowed the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to issue hundreds of commercially significant patents claiming genes.  If this decision is upheld, a large number of commercial patents would be at risk of being held invalid.  Moreover, it would be challenging for biotechnology companies to secure future patents for gene sequences for diagnostic or treatment purposes as the companies would have to be able to show that the isolated gene sequences were markedly different from the native forms.  

For an in depth examination of this important case, watch Lawline.com’s newest course, "Yours, Mine and Ours: An Update on Genetic Patents."  In this program, patent law expert Amy Goldsmith reviews the most important aspects of Association for Molecular Pathology, from the plaintiffs’ and defendants’ arguments to the reasoning behind the district court's decision. Ms. Goldsmith surmises on how the federal appeals court will rule, particularly in light of the Supreme Court’s recent patent decision, In Re Bilski.  Until the Second Circuit and eventually the Supreme Court rule on this matter, the fate of the BRCA breast cancer genes and many other like patents is uncertain.  The Legal Beat will follow the progress of this case, and provide any developments as they become available.

Two days ago, Amnesty International requested that the online website WikiLeaks censor secret files on the Afghanistan war to protect civilians who have worked alongside the U.S. and foreign forces from reprisals. Recently, WikiLeaks published more than 80,000 classified diplomatic documents pertaining to the Afghan war, many of which included names of Afghan informants.  Similar to Amnesty’s request, the United States Government has publicly demanded that WikiLeaks refrain from publishing any more classified military documents, and that they remove the secret files that have already been posted.  While the requests may be morally valid, there may not be any legal grounds for removing and/or censoring the materials, as forcing WikiLeaks to refrain from publishing and/or censoring the documents may constitute a prior restraint of its First Amendment right to free speech. 

For a comprehensive overview of prior restraints on freedom of speech, watch Lawline.com’s new course, “Prior Restraints: Why Courts Disfavor Limitations on Free Speech.” In this program, George Freeman, Vice President and Assistant General Counsel of the New York Times Company, discusses the courts’ aversion to censorship in the name of national security and reveals how such censorship of the media is only legal if it passes the “immediate and irreparable harm to the nation” test.  As part of his discussion, Freeman provides behind the scenes information on the New York Times employees and attorneys who were involved in publishing the Pentagon Papers, a series of documents which contained classified information about the Vietnam War.  Freeman explains how that case, the New York Times v. U.S.,  represents the last time the media was enjoined from publishing a story on the grounds that doing so would jeopardize national security.  Does the human rights group's request for censorship of the Afghan documents satisfy the “immediate and irreparable harm to the nation” test, or is it a prior restraint on WikiLeaks’ First Amendment free speech rights?  Please share your comments on this matter with us.

In this clip, experienced mediator Simeon Baum discusses the role of the mediator as a facilitator. A mediator is not simply a rented judge, but rather a part of the dispute resolution process. An open and engaging mediator will help identify each party's interests, solve problems, and enhance communication. Attorneys can take advantage of the mediation process to achieve a successful outcome for their clients.

To learn more about becoming an effective mediator and representing clients in mediation, watch Simeon Baum's new course, Effective Representation in Mediation.

Joe Ahmad discusses several contract/common law theories that employers typically face.  He provides us with insight from the employers' perspectives by probing questions such as, "What are their interests?" and "Why are they bringing a claim?”.   Furthermore, he explains several of the issues concerning competition contracts and concludes by referencing certain struggles of selective enforcement.

This excerpt is from "What the Texas Attorney Needs to Know About Unfair Competition and Non-Compete Claims".   To preview this course, follow this link.

Herald Price Fahringer explains how incorporating metaphors into closing statements can make your claims more persuasive and powerful. Citing some of the most influential figures in history, he goes on to give us a taste of how utilizing metaphors can make for one compelling argument.

This clip is from, "Sentencing: Making the Best of a Bad Situation".  To view this course in its entirety, follow this link.

Land use and zoning attorney Stuart Beckerman recalls his path to finding his practice of law. He also describes a recent favorable decision that he obtained for his client and even the city of New York. Finally, Beckerman explains what keeps him passionate about his work and why he could not be happier professionally.

In honor of attorney Ronald Katter's return to Lawline.com, take a behind-the-course look at his latest program. Ronald reveals when and why he first knew he wanted to be an attorney, and discusses one of his early successful cases. He also discusses what keeps him passionate about his practice.

At Lawline we are one big family- customers, faculty, company and all. Here is one new faculty member's recollection on why he first chose Lawline.com for his CLE and why he then chose to present CLE with Lawline.com as well.

In this Lawline Exclusive CLE preview, attorney Patrick Oguinn and e-discovery consultants Keith Jones and Jason Briody discuss their work with e-discovery. They further reveal how their passion for technology influences the ever changing world of e-discovery. Finally, they disclose some of the mistakes that attorneys can make during e-discovery. 

In this Exclusive Lawline CLE preview Entrepreneur, Sergio A. Fernández de Córdova, and attorney Joel Wagman, discuss the complex relationship between and entrepreneur and an attorney. When it comes to deal making what are the priorities and who is in charge of the risk at hand?

Andrew Bluestone discusses when he first knew that he wanted to be an attorney. He also reveals his surefire motto for success for attorneys. I'll give you a hint.... it involves some very early mornings. To see Andrew Bluestone's exclusive Lawline CLE course go to Lawline.com.

In this episode of Behind The Course, Lawline CLE Faculty Members and partners in crime, Josh Silber and Richard Abend discuss their Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice practice. They also recall the first case that they each tried, and what's important to remember when entering the legal field.To see more courses from Richard Abend and Josh Silber go to Lawline.com.

Like father like son, Andrew Smiley discusses how his father introduced him to the Legal World and how his "old school" teachings gave him an advantage over his "new school" contemporaries. He further relays his passion for teaching and Continuing Legal Education. Go to Lawline.com to see Andrew's full course, Practical Guidelines for Getting Items Into Evidence, with a special guest appearance by yours truly!

How does an altered power-of-attorney statute affect the daily practitioner? In this exclusive Lawline CLE preview, Attorney Joel D. Sharrow will focus on New York statutory major gifts rider, durable versus nondurable powers of attorney, and agents and the legal repercussions thereof.

In a post CLE interview, Ben Brafman and I sat down to discuss a side of criminal defense law that most attorneys may not know. Ben opened up about the addictive nature of the human drama in criminal defense. Although it's not always easy or fun to be Ben Brafman, he knows why he continues to practice, and believe me, he's not throwing in the towel any time soon.Go to lawline.com to view Ben Brafman's CLE courses.

The Legal Beat Takes you Behind The Course to meet faculty member, George Brunelle. Through his course on how to run a law firm ethically and profitably, he remembers the first night that he opened his own firm and why and how he knew he had made the right choice. He also recalls our first meeting and why teaching attorneys through CLE is so important. Go to Lawline.com soon to watch the full course.

In this episode of Behind The Course, Lawline.com introduces one of its faculty members, Criminal Defense attorney, Marc Agnifilo. Agnifilo discusses his passion for bonding with the humanity of every case. He also reflects on how he has changed as an attorney after 25 years of practice and even recalls his first big trial which involved bagels and a Machete! Lawline.com, meet your faculty member, Mark Agnifilo, and for more of Marc's CLE courses go to Lawline.com. 

In a final round of questions, Alan Schnurman reveals what maybe his own children did not know. With the help of the famous interviewer Bernard Pivot and his questionnaire, Alan answers the tough questions, like his favorite sound or alternative profession considerations. To see Alan's other interviews and courses go to Lawline.com and The Legal Beat.

Tax attorney, Jany Sabins, didn't plan on practicing tax law, but now it is the focus of her practicing. She also has invaluable advice for females breaking into the legal field.Go to Lawline.com to view Jany's course on estate tax planning,Tax Planning in Wills: Time is of the Essence.

Lawline.com faculty member Fernando Pinguelo and his 15 law review students of his eDiscovery Course at the prestigious Seton Hall Law students will channel their insights on today's hottest eDiscovery issues right here through The Legal Beat.

Fernando has also published an extensive reviews on the topic of eDiscovery, and will soon be presenting The Tiger Woods Effect: The Uncertain and Turbulent Future of Endorsement Deals, Morals Clauses, and Reverse-Morals Clauses, at The Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal Annual Spring Symposium, March 4, 2010. Fernando's blog e-Lessons Learned ia an ABA Top 100 blog.

Check in with the Legal Beat to get all the latest briefs of Fernando and his students legal insights.

In the third and final installment of On the Line with Alan Schnurman, Alan discusses the stakes of New York real estate and making patience the key to any success. Go to The Legal Beat to view Part 1 and Part 2 of Alan's On The Line interview, and go to Lawline.com for exclusive Alan Schnurman CLE programming.

This attorney is a self proclaimed ethics geek, who bleeds scarlet red, and is ultimately just a frustrated performer a heart. Who is teaching at lawline? Attorneys meet your faculty member, Stuart Teicher.

The Legal Beat's Meredith Ganzman heads to New York's LegalTech to Interview LegalRelay CEO John Gilman. LegalRelay made a splash at the event with the launching of its legal version of Amazon.com Reviews.

There are many times when lawyers who deal with estate planning and taxes will need to use an appraiser for different types of personal property.  Lee Drexler, president of Esquire Appraisals, Inc. of New York City and Westchester, is an experienced appraiser of fine arts, furniture and jewelry and has seen many unique pieces throughout her career.  We spoke with Lee recently and asked if she could share with us some of the more interesting things that she has seen over the years.

One such story that she shares in the video below is of a woman who wanted her to appraise her engagement ring.  It appears the woman had take the ring in to be reset earlier and had never been fully satisfied with the look and feel of the ring afterwards.  Well, as you might suspect, it didn’t take Ms. Drexler long to discover that in fact the ring she was given back was fake.  Both the diamond and the gold that it was set in were no longer real.  An awful fact to find out so many years later, but as Lee says, she is brought in to reveal an ugly truth a lot of times.

Lee Drexler recently filmed a presentation with James Cohen on the legal aspects of appraisals for CLE credit on Lawline.com.  The program covers the issue from both sides, the attorney and the appraiser. Lee has also written a book called Fabulous Finds, where she shares stories like this about finding valuable pieces that nobody even knew existed.

To contact Lee Drexler, call 212-889-2580.  Please enjoy the short video below, and look for the CLE lecture soon.

Lawline.com is proud to announce The Golden Ticket. The NYCLA Insitue and Lawline.com now offer unlimited online and live CLE programing for just $499. Register now at Lawline.com/goldenticket!

Michael Stutman stars in this week's Family Law Friday on The Legal Beat. Host and Producer Meredith Ganzman leads Stutman through a discussion on Pets in Divorce and Custody Cases.

In this Legal Beat edition of the CLE Faculty Spotlight, attorney Abram Bohrer will review his background in and his passion for handling personal injury and airline travel. He will also reflect on his experience as a new addition to the Lawline Faculty. Look for Abram Bohrer's Lawline exclusive CLE course soon.

In this episode of On The Line, Alan Schnurman discusses his early days as a Personal Injury attorney and also reflects on his the proud moments of his career. He further reflects on what some of the more embarrassing moments in his career has taught him about his work. Even after thirty-eight years of practicing, Alan explains why he still gets nervous in trying a case. Go to The Legal Beat to catch Part 1 of Alan's interview and Lawline.com for all of your CLE needs and to view Alan's CLE courses.

At Lawline we are very serious about the January 31st California CLE Deadline. It's a team effort at Lawline. Even members of the programming department pitch in and reach out to our California attorneys, some more successfully than others. Take a look at what happens when a host and producer joins the sales team. Go to Lawline.com for all of your CLE needs.

In this episode of the The Legal Beat Tip of The Day, Personal Injury attorney, Gerald Oginski, discusses marketing his legal services. After years of investing in traditional marketing and advertising, Gerald focused his efforts online with viral video media. Go Lawline.com soon to view Gerald Oginski's full course.

This "On The Line" interview was four years in the making and too riveting to edit down to just one episode. In Part 1 of the interview Alan and I discuss his background and entrance into the legal profession and then his practice . He reviews then how he built his business to include Lawline TV and then Lawline.com.

In this Lawline.com Exclusive CLE Trailer, Attorney Louis Bricklin discusses the fundamentals of Insurance Bad Faith Claims. He further explains the burden of proof in a Bad Faith Claim case. Go To Lawline.com to view the full course.

Be thankful for attorneys on Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving from Lawline.com  

Cloud Computing is the future of technology. Expert Joseph J. Bambara provides what attorney's need to know to prepare in his Lawline.com Exclusive course "Possible Thunder Storm: The Legal Ramifications of Cloud Computing."

Do you have questions for the Lawline CLE faculty members appearing on our upcoming programs? If so, Lawline wants to hear from you. Send your questions for our CLE faculty to me at Meredith@lawline.com or support @lawline.com. The Lawline team looks forward to hearing from you.
 

Upcoming Lawline CLE Prorgams

David Klein- Email Marketing

Richard Abend and Josh Silber- Hospital and Medical Records Used in Evidence.

Lily Royer- International Custody Dispute

As the host of The Legal Beat, I promised that I would start tweeting. I enlisted the help of Tim Baran, of UMCLE. In this episode of On The Line, he discusses the importance of attorneys being engaged in social networking such as Twitter. He further notes the future relationship between CLE and such social media platforms as Twitter.

Director of Customer Experience, Christie LaBarca, reviews Lawline's newest customer service project, Project We Care.

The Legal Beat Clip of The Day features the CLE Faculty Spotlight with Anne Jordan. She discusses her background as an attorney practicing Discovery and Electronic Discovery. Anne focuses on the ethics of Electronic Discovery and also provides tips necessary to preserving these ethics.

Attorney Bart Basi offers the Lawline Tip in The Legal Beat Clip of the Day. Go to Lawline.com now to view the full course.

It was 1987 when a crash in the stock market prompted Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice attorney Ed Ruffo to reconsider a career in business. With an upcoming CLE Course, Ruffo recalls his early days as an attorney and what still keeps him passionate about the profession today. He also imparts invaluable advice to young attorneys and legal associates entering the field.

In Today's Legal Tip of the Day faculty member Henry Mazurek discusses the relavance of learning and understand the rules of evidence. Familiarization with these rules is highly advantagous when presenting one's case.

This clip is from Gerald Shargel and Henry Mazurek's "A Practical Approach to the Rules of Evidence". 

In Lawline.com's Legal Tip of the Day faculty member Mitchell Lustig explains the benefits of New York's no-fault law, and outlines a typical case.

This clip is from Mitchell Lustig's "A Practical Approach to New York's No-Fault Law".

In today's Tip of The Day, faculty members Lee Drexler and James Cohen discuss what stipulations the IRS has for an appraiser and how they affect charitable donations of tangible personal property.

This clip is from Lee Drexler and James Cohen's "How to Dispose of Tangible Personal Property".

In today's Tip of The Day, faculty member Hon. Michael Dontzin discusses the differences between arbitration and mediation, and why mediation can provide a more satisfying resolution for parties in conflict.

This clip is from Hon. Michael Dontzin's "Mediation: An Effective Tool in Case Settlement"

In today's Tip of The Day, faculty member Marvin Pickholz explains the importance of understanding foreign anti-bribery statutes, what constitutes bribery varies in different countries and why accepting the normative procedure may involve risk.

This clip is from Marvin Pickholz's "A Primer on Corporate Compliance and Internal Investigations"

In today's Legal Tip of The Day, faculty member Herald Price Fahringer explains the importance of the opening statement and summation. From word choice to the way you say a sentence, the style in which you speak in extremely important when dealing with cases.

This clip is from Herald Price Fahringer's "Art of Persuasion"

In today's Legal Tip of the Day, faculty member Irwin Karp talks about the most frequent causes of procrastination. These include the task not a priority, fears of the unknown/failure/success, boredom, disintrest in the topic, perfectionism, waiting until the last minute, a high deadline task, questioning the task, and carelessness.

This clip is from Irwin Karp's "Overcoming Procrastination: How Lawyers Can Kick the Habit"

Thinking about starting a small business? Consider forming it under an S Corporation. These can be preferable to an LLC for tax purposes. Under an S Corporation, individuals are only liable for self employment tax on their "reasonable salary." Under an LLC, self employment tax applies a wider category--revenue minuses expenses. Finally, Lawline.com faculty member George Cornell mentions that self employment tax does not apply to passive income like real estate. This clip is from his course "Using LLC's and Other Forms of Asset Protection."

Copyrights are everywhere. Intellectual Property attorneys David A. Kalow and Tal S. Benschar explain where they come from, what they cover, and what they don't to anyone who is new to the area of intellectual property. This presentation originally appeared in our course, "Intellectual Property for the General Practitioner."

http://www.lawline.com/cle/course-details.php?i=698&course_type=video

In today's Lawline.com legal tip of the day, faculty member Amy Goldsmith talks about the difference between patent laws and trade secrets. Specifically, she goes into what happens with utlity patents after they expire, using the example of "generic drugs" after formerly being a patented drugs.

This clip is from Amy Goldsmith's "Overview of Patent and Trade Secrets"

In today's Legal Tip of the Day, faculty member Rick Supple talks about ethical issues in the litigation process. He specifically explains the appropriate behavior when dealing with judges. This includes no false or scandalous statements to the public, no objects of value offered to the judge and his staff, and no ex-party communication.

This clip is from Hal Lieberman and Rick Supple's "Ethical Issues in the Litigation Process"

In today's Legal Tip of the Day, faculty member Diane Steiner explains the common mistakes made by witnesses during matrimonial case depositions. The witness can be unprepared, leading them to ramble on and give too much information or they can be flat out lying, creating a theme for the opposing counsel.

This clip is from Diane Steiner and Elaine Lewis's "Matrimonial Depositions and Witness Preparation"

In today's Lawline.com Legal Tip of the Day, faculty member Phil Kleiner talks about what to look for in a passport when interviewing the potential immigration client. This includes the type of visa, date of issue and other requirements for it to be considered valid.

This clip is from Phil Kleiner's "Interviewing the Potential Immigration Client"

In today's Legal Tip of the Day, faculty member Erica Dubno defines "defamation" with six basic requirements. She also introduces the
problems associated with online publishing, third party viewers, and the anonymity of posters on the internet.

This clip is from Herald Price Fahringer and Erica Dubno's "The First Amendment: Defamation on the Internet"

In today's Lawline.com Legal Tip of the Day, faculty member Mary Noe talks about the classification of children with disabilities under the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  In this clip she particularly talks about the initial evaluation that a child must undergo in order to receive disabled status.  The components include psycho-education evaluation, social history, physical evaluation, observation of child and other specific tests for specific disabilities.

Watch the clip for more information.

For more information, visit Mary Noe's course "A Primer on Special Education Law."

Ever wonder what happens after you file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy? The eloquent, knowledgeable bankruptcy attorney, Daniel Gershburg explains how to get creditors off your back, rebuild your credit, and get back on the right track. Gershburg sees bankruptcy as a hurdle that clients have to get over, not an insuperable disaster. Working with an experienced lawyer, clients can start making good decisions and get on with life.

This clip is from Daniel Gershburg's course, "Chapter 7 Bankruptcy: The Initial Consultation."

www.lawline.com/cle/course-details.php

In today's Lawline.com Legal Tip of the day, attorney Ron Coleman describes the best thing an attorney can do if a clients come into the office claiming they're the victim of defamation on a blog--stay calm. Perhaps the worst thing an attorney can do is attract unneccessary attention on a blog that otherwise has little traffic. An example involving the major law firm, Jones Day, is highlighted in order to demonstrate a counter-productive response.

Watch the clip below for more.

The clip is from Ron Coleman's course, "The Legal Aspects of Blogging."

In today's Lawline.com Tip of the day, faculty member Harvey Weitz talks about attorneys finding their own style when cross examining a witness.  Mr. Weitz says you should "know yourself."  By knowing yourself, you will be able to work your strengths and weaknesses to your advantage.

Watch the clip for more information.

The clip is from Mr. Weitz's course "Cross Examination Strategies."

Badway discusses the crises of several big companies, as well as the credit card companies and international recessions. In addition, subtle issues have shaken the market, such as IFRS. Lastly, there is the mistaken belief that our markets can be perfect and need little regulation.

We hope you check out Mr. Badway's course, entitled "Transparency at the SEC: A Response to the Current Financial Crisis "

Follow Lawline.com On Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lawline

Lawline.com has been receiving great feedback on our Legal Tips of the Day (via YouTube) initative.  We've been working very hard to facilitate the flow of information and make it accessible to those that seek it.

We wanted to remind everyone that you can subscribe to Lawline.com's Channel on YouTube.  You will be notified daily on your YouTube account of the latest clips that we have posted. 

Simply go to http://www.youtube.com/lawlinecle and hit "Subscribe."

In addition to the Legal Tips from our CLE courses, we have some other fun videos to share with you.  We appreciate all feedback, so if you have any comments or questions, don't hesitate to contact us.

In today's Lawline.com Video Clip of the Day, faculty member Scott Colesanti talks about the SEC and short sales.  In short-sales, an investor who believes their stock will fall and rise within a three day period, sells their stock at a high price, and leave it hanging within the three day period so that way they can buy it back at a lower price.  Public company officials are not permitted to sell their own stock.  In July of 2009, the SEC passed Rule 204 which tightened security measures around short-selling. 

Watch the clip for more.

The clip is from Colesanti's course,  The Securities & Exchange Commission: History & Status

In today's Lawline.com tip of the day, attorney Gina Rubel describes issues surrounding publicity, the media, and litigation. She uses personal anecdotes and general tips in order to explain best practices. She advises a conservative approach to trial publicity.

Watch the clip for more information.

The clip is from the course Social Media For Lawyers: Facebook, Linked In, Twitter and More!

In a clip from the course entitled Estate Planning: A Perspective on Family and Values by John S. Erwin and Thomas J Henske, there is a discussion on noticing the details of a situation, especially when the law is involved. Erwin and Henske give some examples as to what matters in the long run in regards to estate planning. Morals and values are discussed, and how important details are is highlighted.

This clip is from the course, entitled "Estate Planning: A Perspective on Family and Values"

Ever wonder what the law has to saw about birth control? This is one area where religious organizations and the legal system collide. Lawline.com faculty member Michael Grossman explains who comes out on top. He looks at landmark cases in order to illustrate some of the finer points of the law.

Join Lawline.com faculty member, Olivera Medenica, as she discusses legal issues surrounding domain names and trademarks. She explains how to avoid inconvenient court appearances, what makes for a good case, and other issues that arise in this common E-Commerce topic. She uses illustrative examples and real world facts to tell you what you need to know about domain names.

Lawline.com faculty member Benjamin Brafman, criminal defense attorney to the stars, explains how his process of developing a summation begins. He stresses that it is a work in progress that an attorney should begin considering the moment a client walks through the office doors. Essentially, a good summation should sell the attorney, the client, and the defense to a jury.

In today’s Legal Tip of the Day, Richard Roth expands on his experiences in the Entertainment and Sports Litigation world, using his past cases as examples for each category. The clip below, entitled “When a Lawsuit is Necessary in Entertainment and Sport Litigation”, is a highlight on Roth’s explanation on why sometimes a lawsuit is inevitable in the entertainment and sports arena.

Richard Roth is a prominent lawyer in New York City. His practice areas include complex commercial litigation, securities litigation and arbitration, employment litigation, entertainment and sports litigation, real estate litigation, and more. An alumnus of Hofstra University School of Law, Roth has had several high profile cases, including a major sports litigation case with Peyton Manning, the quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts.

This clip can also be found on YouTube.com, in Lawline’s Legal Tip of the Day series. 

Attorney Jay Sullivan's work has appeared in the New York Times, the New York Law Journal, and Readers Digest. Now he brings his expertise to the YouTube community as a part of the Lawline.com Legal Tip of the Day series. Watch as he explains how to transform abstract ideas into a concrete, easy to follow presentation.

His advice originally appeared in a course at Lawline.com entitled "Building Dynamic Client Meetings" but can apply to anyone who wants to improve his or her communication skills. His ideas regarding using space strategically and organizing presentations logically can apply to the client meetings and beyond.

Watch the clip for more information.

In today's Lawline.com Video Clip of the Day, Sarah Jo Hamilton discusses the historical sources of ethics law, including the issues and solutions that ensued.  She briefly goes over the development of ethics law.

Watch the clip for information.

The clip is from Sarah Jo Hamilton's course (with Berry Temkin) "Ethical Considerations in Client Perjury".

Philip Kleiner discusses what to look out for when dealing with non-immigration visas, including what is a sign of fraud and what is legitimate in immigrant marriages.

Watch the clip for more information

The clip is from Phil Kleiner's Course "Overview of Non-Immigrant Laws and Temporary Visas" which can be accessed here.

Today in Lawline.com's Legal Tip of the Day, Ron Katter discusses the plaintiff's attorney's ethical obligation when reviewing the facts of the case with a witness that is going to go through a deposition. He also talks about actually going through the importance of the deposition with your clients.

Watch the clip for more information.

The clip is from Ron Katter's Course "Depositions: The Keystone of Litigation." Which can be accessed by going here.

In today's Lawline.com clip of the day, Lawline.com faculty member and image consultant Megan Kristel, talks about preparing your image for a public appearance. She particularly focuses on the importance for attorneys to ensure they are perceived as professionals. For High Definition (HD) television, Megan recommends that individuals work with make-up artists to ensure that they're satisfied with their appearance.

Watch the clip for more information.  

The clip is from the course "Understanding How Public Relations Can Improve Your Legal Practice" which can be accessed here.

In today's Legal Tip of the day,  productivity expert and Lawline.com faculty member,  Neen James outlines tips specifically targeted towards boosting attorney productivity. She gives clear, simple advice on everyday practices attorneys can use to make the most of their work day.

Her mantra "plan tomorrow today" captures the idea that lawyers can prepare for upcoming meetings, appointments, or projects by devoting ten minutes at the end of the previous workday for planning. This should be accompanied by fifteen minutes of planning at the beginning of every work day. This way lawyers can strategize about how best to allocate their time.

Watch the clip for more information.

The clip is from the course "Promotions and Productivity for Lawyers"

Today in In Lawline.com's Legal Tip of the Day, prominent criminal attorney, Benjamin Brafman talks about using humor when trying a case.  He particularly talks about how humor allowed him to successfully lighten the mood among the jury when working with Johnny Cochran to represent P Diddy a few years ago.  Watch the clip for more.

Benjamin Brafman is a well established attorney and Lawline.com faculty member.  He has represented and worked with many well known individuals including P Diddy, Michael Jackson, and most recently Plaxico Burress.

Click here for more information on Mr. Brafman's course "Summation: A Work In Progress"

Today in Lawline.com's Legal Tip of the Day, faculty member Jay Sullivan sheds some light on little tips to keep a client meeting organized and concise. He tells us how to not only keep the client's attention but how to appear prepared as well.

Watch the clip for more information.

Read more about Jay's course on "Building Dynamic Client Meetings" by going here.

Employment attorney and Lawline.com faculty member Ardra O'Neal talks about ways of structuring the inevitable layoff. Performance and Seniority based evolution may be one way that the layoff structure is approached. Watch the clip for more information. Ms. O'Neal notes that employers often fail to adequately document the poor performance of their employees, which can potentially lead to legal liability if laid off.  Watch the clip for more. 

The clip is from Ardra O'Neal's course "Best Practices For Implementing Lay-Offs For Private Sector Employers" which can be accessed here.

Today in Lawline.com;s tip of the day, faculty members Gina Rubel and Laura Powers talk about identifying your target audience when pursuing a social media campaign. Furthermore, you must decide what your key message will be to this audience and how it will influence your desired appearance.

Watch the clip for more information.

In today’s Lawline.com Legal Tip of the Day, faculty member Malcolm Taub discusses the significance of a condition report in the purchase and/or sale of artwork.  Condition reports are prepared by a curator or a restorer and should be obtained before the initial viewing of the artwork.  They refer to the mechanical characteristics of the art work, and have no relation to its visual appearance.  Mr. Taub further outlines the details of a condition report.  Watch the clip for more.

The clip is from Malcolm Taub's course "Legal Issues Relating to the Purchase & Sale of Art."  For more information click here.

    The great thing about the internet is that it provides the opportunity to publicize any type of information.  Today in Lawline.com’s Video Tip of the Day, Richard Levick talks about how the internet sets the agenda for the media and also about how the internet can provide as a valuable resource for the traditional media outlets.

Watch the clip for more information.

The clip is from Richard Levick's course "A Lawyer's Guide to Litigation and Crisis Communications" which can be accessed here.

Today in our Lawline.com Video Tip of the Day, faculty member Bart Basi talks about the difference between an acquisition, a merger and a consolidation in business transactions.

Watch the clip for more information.

Today in our Lawline.com Video Tip of the Day, faculty member Daniel Fish talks about the difference of custodial care and skilled care in the context of health care. Recently, due to health care issues, there has been an expansion of Elder Law Practice.  As Fish illustrates, the difference between the two types of care is an important distinction. 

Watch the clip for more information.

The clip is from Daniel Fish's course "Elder Law Fundamentals." For more information click here.

Today in our Lawline.com video tip of the day, faculty member Irwin Karp provides some tips on avoiding procrastination.  We all do it so this four minute clip is sure to be helpful to anyone.  He talks about the most efficient ways to get things done and how to beware of the tyranny of the urgent.  Watch the clip below for more.

The course is from Irwin Karp's course "Overcoming Procrastination." For more information click here.

Today in our Lawline.com Video Tip of the Day, faculty member Ronald Coleman talks about the invasion of privacy clause as it relates to blogging.  He highlights the ability for an individual to take legal action if a photograph is posted of him or her on a blog and what types of claims may or may not be filed.   He also notes the the differing degrees of leniency from one state to the next with regard to privacy law.

The Clip is from Ronald Coleman's course entitled "Legal Aspects of Blogging."  To check it out go here.

Today in our Lawline.com Video Tip of the Day, faculty member Daniel Gershburg emphasizes the importance of paying your credit card bills on time.  Failure to pay your bills when they are due can severely hurt your credit score. Accordingly,  if you (or your client) has to raise your credit score, even over a short period of time, this is the most efficient way to do so.  Watch the clip below for more information.

In Our Lawline.com Video Tip of the Day, David A. Kalow and Tal S. Benschar talk about how to copyright your produced work and the necessity of registering your copyright.

Most people don’t know that a work is copyrighted (in the United States) the moment it is put into tangible form.  Watch the clip for more information!

For Daniel Gershburg, an attorney focusing on Bankruptcy, the credit crisis has a lot of his clients reeling.  He gets an inside look at the people that are really being affected by the struggling economy.  We recently asked Mr. Gershburg to explain some of the things that he thought were to blame for the current state of the economy in this country. 

Everyone wants to put the blame somewhere, but where?  In the end, it has to go on the individuals that got stuck in these bad credit habits.  People continue to borrow more than they can afford to buy things that they cannot pay off.  It is a nasty cycle, and one that has crushed many families and businesses in the past year.  People need to learn what it takes to maintain strong credit, and start to be smarter when it comes to matters of financial planning before things can start to turn around on the smallest level.

You can find more information on financial strategy and personal credit in Dan Gershburg’s new CLE program.  The course, entitled “Financial Advocacy”, will be hosted exclusively on Lawline.com and is coming soon.   Below, please enjoy a short clip from Mr. Gershburg’s interview.

Being that this is an election year, of course immigration is going to be a hot topic of discussion.  The different candidates all have something to say on the subject of immigration, and it is hard to tell what is going to happen when the next President takes office.  According to some reports, there are as many as 20 million immigrants living in the US illegally right now.  That will have to be addressed in some way, whether it is allowing those who are already here to stay and closing down our borders, or enforcing  stricter deportation policies.

Recently, we asked Phil Kleiner, our resident expert on immigration laws, to talk about the issue.  He discussed the many possible scenarios that might play out in the next year or so with regards to this problem.  Below, you can find a short video clip from the discussion.  Phil Kleiner is a Lawline.com faculty member, specializing in immigration.  His most recent CLE program, Permanent Residency and Employment Based Immigration, can be found in our course catalog.

Trials can be a long and emotional process.  Just ask any trial attorney who has been through it.  The emotional rollercoaster can be an unsettling, and unnerving experience for most.  And as Justin Blitz, an associate with the firm Shandel, Blitz, Blitz & Ashley, describes, the thrills and disappointments involved are much like those of your first childhood basketball game.

“Winning is the greatest high, and losing is the lowest low,” he says when asked about the emotions he feels during any trial he has ever been involved with.  It can take a lot out of you and you had better be ready for the strain it puts on your mind and body from the very beginning.  Justin is an experienced trial attorney in New York City, having tried over 30 cases in 6 years.

Recently, Justin Blitz was gracious enough to film a new CLE course with Lawline.com entitled, How to Try Your First Case.  In the course he speaks about some key tips and procedures for any attorney who is going to trial for the first time, including how to prepare and what to expect.  In the short clip below, Justin introduces us to the emotions involved in the day to day trial experience.  Press play to watch, and look for Justin’s program on Lawline.com coming soon.

The area of Employment Law is as important an area of the law as any, and it is one that continues to grow and gain importance every day.   One of the more prominent law firms around focusing solely on Employment Law is Schwartz & Perry LLP.  Recently, we were lucky enough to be joined by three attorneys from Schwartz & Perry LLP, Murray Schwartz, Brian Heller, and Matthew Schatz.

Murray Schwartz, who has received a lot of positive feedback for his CLE programs on Lawline.com in the past, is back again with an interesting new style.  This program was filmed as a roundtable discussion covering everything from how to handle a client to trying a case.  It is a must see for anyone practicing in employment law, and a very interesting course for any attorney.

Below, please find a brief clip, in which Murray Schwartz explains a little of the planning that went into this program.  He introduces his colleagues and discusses the main purpose behind presenting this material.  And keep a look out for their course, which will be hosted exclusively on Lawline.com in the near future.

Daniel Gershburg started his own law practice straight out of law school.  To many people around him, this was a crazy decision, one that they did not understand.  He had been a solid student with strong experience, and was on path to work for a large firm and earn a nice wage.  But Daniel was looking for something different, and he felt strongly about doing his own thing.  He recently shared with us his five step process to starting your own practice.

1. Get Mentors.  Learn as much as you possibly can from as many people as you can meet.  This will help you create personal and professional networks as well as increase and expand your knowledge of many legal issues.

2. Find Office Space.  You will need to look as professional as possible, so it is important to have space where you can meet with clients.  Virtual and home offices will not cut it if you truly want your practice to grow.

3. Get in Touch with Every Single Association Available to Help You.  There are so many people out there to help you get started, the trick is just knowing where to look.  Bar associations and business development organizations are a great place to start.

4. Good Client Relationships.  Too many large firms are run like corporations, with little or no focus on client support.  Adapt a customer service philosophy toward dealing with clients.  Be there for them whenever they need you and you will get many more referrals.

5. Strong Web Presence.  Your website is a great tool for marketing, referral generation, and client management.  Use it wisely and it will save you money in addition to getting your name out there.

Daniel Gershburg is also a Lawline.com faculty member.  Please look for his upcoming course entitled, Chapter 7 Bankruptcy: The Initial Meeting, which is coming soon.  For a brief video interview with Daniel, click play below:

Should lawyers be constrained by the truth?  That is a question that carries with it a lot of moral and professional issues.  It is also a question that can be answered in many different ways depending on the given situation, or the person responding.  That is why it makes the perfect subject for a Continuing Legal Education seminar.

Lawline.com recently filmed a new CLE program featuring Joel Cohen, Michael Ross, and James Bernard.  The three attorneys discuss different ways that the “truth” affects the way the law is practiced.  They give a good overview of different situations in which the truth can help or hurt a case, and what the ethics codes say on the subject.  Drawing from real world experience as well as a firm grasp of professional responsibility rules, the conversation covers many ethical questions from every angle.

This program is filmed as a roundtable discussion between the three attorneys.  Every time a new question is posed, each attorney offers their opinion of the matter.  This makes for a very interesting video that fulfills one hour of the mandatory ethics CLE requirements.  Please enjoy a short excerpt from the lecture below, and keep an eye out for the full course on Lawline.com.

Hello all.  I know you have become very accustomed to reading a top five list every single friday.  Unfortunately, this week is so hectic that we could not produce one of any quality for you.  So instead of leaving you with nothing to read, I thought I would give you my own personal excuses to enjoy.

TOP FIVE REASONS THERE IS NO FRIDAY FIVE

1. It's Friday.  I know that might sound counter-intuitive, but today was just not the day to do any writing.

2. It's Rainy.  Even though I am in the shelter of my office, the rain has made everything in and around New York City so dull.  It does not put me in the mood to write.

3. It's a Holiday.  Looking forward to the long weekend has put me in a rest and relaxation mode.  That does not bode well for writing a Friday Five.

4. I am Too Focused on CLE.  And now there is a new holiday special, so it gets people even more excited about continuing legal education.  To check out the holiday special, click here.

5. I was too busy stealing this from UPS.

Christmas is right around the corner, and there is very little time left to finish your last minute shopping.  It is important to get everything you need in time.  That is why we teamed with findingDulcinea.com to bring you some holiday shopping secrets.

More and more shopping is being done online, and findingDulcinea.com has made shopping the internet for the best websites easier than ever.  In the video below, we will show you how to find the best deals easily and quickly, without spending countless hours searching the web.

FindingDulcinea.com is the librarian of the internet, dedicated to bringing you the most relevant information on whatever topic interests you.  From news to promotions, they will show you exactly where to look to find what you need.  They agreed to give Lawline.com a first look at their holiday shopping hints.  Please enjoy the video below, featuring Senior Guides Writer, Haley Lovett.

The estate tax code in the United States has a bit of a loophole.  The way the code is written right now, the tax lessens every year until 2009, and then disappears completely in 2010, only to go back to a higher level in 2011.

We recently spoke with James Cohen, partner at the firm Kleinberg, Kaplan, Wolff and Cohen, P.C.  He has spoken about this issue with many people, including Joe Lieberman, who he knows well.  When speaking with Mr. Lieberman, he joked about how the loophole in the Estate Tax Code could cause some problems.  The two spoke seriously about the fact that it could cause murders to go up that year.

For instance, if someone has an elderly parent with a large estate and they die, usually the estate is taxed up to 50%.  If this happens in 2010, that tax is zero.  And who knows what some people will do to get at all of that extra money.  Along those same lines, if a person is sick and near death in 2009, there is a huge incentive to keep the person alive until the next year.  The best thing that Washington can do is to take a long hard look at the tax code and revise it to better fit the year 2010.

Enjoy the video with James Cohen below and look for his upcoming CLE program on Lawline.com entitled Legal Aspects of Appraisals of Tangible Personal Property.

“Staying in the courtroom and working on the case on that day might very well have saved my life.”  This is what Herald Price Fahringer has to say about the day that Larry Flynt was shot in Lawrenceville, Georgia.  Herald was Mr. Flynt’s lead attorney in many of his cases around the country.  On this particular case, as Mr. Fahringer explains, Larry Flynt had been receiving numerous death threats.

Because of the threats on Larry’s life, he and his attorneys decided to wear bullet proof vests in and around the courtroom.  Herald decided that the Kentucky heat made wearing the vest too hot, so he took his off.  Seeing that, Larry decided that if his attorney didn’t need one, he didn’t need one.  And as Herald says in the video below, that was not the best idea considering the situation that they were all in.

Please enjoy the video below, as Herald Price Fahringer spoke with Lawline.com about the events of that day.

In a continuing effort to help lawyers learn how to better market their websites and increase their online presence, Lawline.com has created a video series of how-to guides.  Part 3 of Lawline.com’s series is entitled An Intro to Google Adwords.  In the following video we discuss the importance of Adwords and some of the basic things you can do to get started.

Google has many services that they offer to help businesses and consumers alike.  Their services cover everything you can think of that make the online experience simpler and more enjoyable.  Google Adwords is certainly one of the most important programs they run.  It is their main source of revenue and it continues to grow every year because people can see the results.

Running an advertisement on Adwords is so easy it’s no wonder the idea is spreading like wildfire.  For lawyers, placing these ads with Google can do a number of things to help you stand out from other lawyers and law firms out there.  It can place you on the first page of Google searches, which is more important now than ever before as people are shifting to the web as a way to find everything they need.  They also help you target specific regions and keywords so you can show your ad to all the right people.  And the best thing about it is that the service costs only the amount you choose to spend.  You can set daily budgets as low as you want.

Please enjoy the video below, and to get started with Google Adwords you can visit the website: http://www.adwords.google.com.

Alan Schnurman has been practicing the art of negotiations for 37 years as a Personal Injury Lawyer.  He has been involved in many different types of negotiation s and has perfected a few simple rules to achieve success.  He shares those rules as well as additional tips in his one hour CLE lecture on Lawline.com entitled, Negotiation Strategies from the Plaintiff’s Side.  In the video below, Alan previews the course and discusses the major things to consider for every negotiation.

The most important thing to remember is that when parties are negotiating, everyone wants to resolve the issue or case at hand.  You have to establish yourself as credible, and working towards a solution.  This does not mean that you have to be too agreeable that you give up your position, but you have to establish a rapport with the other party so negotiations can move forward and reach a middle ground.

It is your job as an attorney to reach a resolution that is cost efficient and effective for your client.  You learn the tips and techniques needed to be successful through years of practice and experience.  And though every negotiation varies in format and matter, there are certain things strategies that you can employ in every negotiation.  If you do not perfect these techniques than the outcome of a negotiation is more likely to wind up in favor of the opposing party.

Please enjoy the short video below with Alan J. Schnurman and check out his program on Negotiations in the Lawline.com Course Catalog.

Everywhere you look today, some new business or service is being outsourced to countries with cheaper labor and skilled technicians.  Countries like India and China have a much larger role in US based industries than ever before.  One area of law that is now being outsourced is e-discovery and document review.  The reason is simple: save money by paying an Indian attorney who earns half as much as his US counterpart to search through hundreds and thousands of documents.  But the answer is not always that simple.

Jim Wagner, CEO and Co-founder of DiscoverReady LLC, has personal experience dealing with e-discovery outsourcing.  His firm, which assists many large Fortune 100 clients with the e-discovery process, first started looking into outsourcing a few years ago, citing cheaper labor as the main reason.  However, there are many things you have to consider before making the jump off-shore.  For instance, Indian attorneys may not be able to review documents as fast as Americans because of technology gaps, language barriers, etc.  Be sure to weigh the total costs of a project, instead of simple per hour costs of review, or else you could be in for a surprise when you review your budget.

Jim talks about some other major things to consider before making the decision to off-shore your document review.  For instance, there are many other ways to save money, if that is your only reason for choosing to outsource.  You can cut down the number of employees or custodians’ email to read.  Make sure the process you are using is as efficient as possible.  Sending the process to India should be a final option and not something that you decide to jump right into.

In the video interview below, Jim tells Lawline.com a little about his own experience with document review in India.  Please click play below to enjoy the 8 minute video.

In a continuing effort to help lawyers learn how to better market their websites and increase their online presence, Lawline.com has created a video series of how-to guides.  Part 2 of Lawline.com’s series is entitled An Intro to Blogging for Lawyers.  In the following video we discuss the importance of blogging and some of the basic ways to get started.  It is no secret that everything we do in the world is shifting to the web, and this is a major form of communication that cannot be ignored by any professional who hopes to reach potential clients or customers.

Some of the major reasons to start blogging are to increase the amount of content you put online and to help improve your search engine rankings.  Search engines like blogs because they constantly get updated and keep content fresh.  It is important to add to your blog often, keep it current.  Blogs are special because they add the ability to create many links to your site and other relevant sites like yours.  In addition, other sites will link to your blog as a reference.  This is all helpful for search engine optimization.

To get started the best thing you can do is a find a blogging service that matches your budget.  There are many companies out there that have built blogs that are easily duplicated and cost little to add to your site.  These services are good because they allow you to create the look and feel of an established blog right away.  And once you have it set up, just start writing.  Take a few minutes each day or week to write something short and to the point.  It is up to you what to write about, just know your audience and create something they would be interested in reading.  That will create an increase in traffic to your site, add to your “online brand”, and get your site ranked higher.

Please take a moment to enjoy the video below.

Here at Lawline.com we have had the privilege of working side by side with many lawyers and law firms.  Through those interactions, we have learned that many lawyers out there have a few complaints when it comes to marketing and business development.  More specifically, we have been asked by many lawyers to help them better market themselves online.  We figured that if the lawyers we talked to needed help, so did many others across the country.  That was the premise for the Lawyer’s Guide to Marketing Your Website, a series of videos and podcasts designed to help teach lawyers how increase their online visibility.

The first part in this series is an introduction to search engine optimization.  Search engine optimization (SEO) is all about making your website more search engine friendly, leading to better rankings in Google, Yahoo, Ask, and other popular search engines.  This will increase traffic to the site and hopefully lead to more business for you.  For lawyers, it is important to get your name or firm name out to the public as much as possible to reach new clients daily.  This is an example of how you can do that very easily.

In the video below we will go over a simple 5 step process to getting started.  Step 1 is simple, set up a plan and a timeline for what you would like to accomplish in terms of SEO.  Be realistic because this is a process that will take time and effort on your part.  Step 2 is to select important keywords that you would like to rank more highly for.  These keywords should be specific phrases that people are searching to get to your website.  It is important to remember that general phrases are going to be more difficult because there is more competition. 

Step 3 is to use those keywords everywhere.  Your website is full of places to put keywords, including but not limited to text, links, images, titles, descriptions, and Meta tags.  The more these keywords become a relevant part of your web pages, the more a search engine like Google will see them.  Step 4 is to actively set up a link network.  Links to your site are one of the most important factors in ranking highly.  Your site becomes credible if other sites refer to it as a source of information.  And finally, the last step, though very cliché, is to stick with it.  SEO is a continual process of staying ahead of the game.  The rules will change from time to time and it is important not to get caught with a stale website that search engines lose track of.

Please enjoy the video below and look for Part 2 of our series on marketing your website next week.

No matter what type of work you do, it is always important to feel a sense of security.  Just that feeling that someone is looking out for you can alleviate a lot of the stress of day to day work.  Backup my info!, a data and information backup company, has been doing just that for law firms for years.

Jennifer Walzer, president and founder of the company, knows the value that Backup my info! can bring to any size law firm.  With so much information stored on office computers, it is easy to see how disastrous a complete system crash could be on a law firm and their clients.  Just thinking about that big of a mess can cause you to worry and fret over every single document.  Backup my info! solves that problem with an automated process designed to back up and recover your information with the click of a button.

Jennifer has always found that service comes first and foremost.  Operating as a boutique company, Backup my info! is designed to put the client’s mind at ease by offering the highest quality service.  All of the law firms that she works with have one less thing to think about every day because if anything were to go wrong with their system, a full-time service representative will let them know about it and solve the problem within seconds.  And in the fast-paced information driven world that most lawyers and law firms operate in today, that proves to be an important service.

Please enjoy Lawline.com's interview with Jennifer Walzer below.

Ari Kaplan is one of those people that truly enjoys helping and encouraging others. You can tell just by talking to him for a few minutes that his passion is coaching and teaching. He wants to help people succeed in their endeavors, whatever they may be.

One main area of expertise Mr. Kaplan possesses is getting published. In fact, he runs a company called Ari Kaplan Advisors that is dedicated to coaching those who are trying to get published. This is such an important skill to learn for lawyers and attorneys everywhere. Getting an article published in a magazine, newspaper, or law journal can do many things for a lawyer’s reputation and career. It will help establish expertise in a certain area, relate your name to a particular topic of importance, and improve your status as a respected member of the legal community.

Ari Kaplan also has a new book due out in 2008 that is geared toward young lawyers and law students that focuses on the area of getting published and empowering yourself. He says, “The book is really about getting up, and getting out there. Do something that you feel passionate about and inspires you.” There is nothing more important for a young lawyer than to believe in yourself and your abilities. That type of positive attitude can lead to so many opportunities. And the earlier you start, the further your career and passion will take you.

Below is a clip from an interview Lawline.com did with Ari Kaplan. In it, Ari discusses the new book and talks about the importance of lawyer empowerment.

In the world of Manhattan attorneys, being a solo practitioner or small practice lawyer is becoming more and more difficult. One of the main reasons is that office space is so expensive, yet so important. Rental prices in Manhattan range from pricey to extremely pricey, and you pay for what you get. A lawyer looking to save money gets a place that he is afraid to show clients. A lawyer who needs a nice office to meet with clients ends up breaking the bank to stay there. It seems to be a lose-lose situation. Not to mention, the amount of time needed to grow a practice takes too much away from important “client time”.

Along comes Stephen Furnari, a lawyer with a new concept to solve this very problem, as well as adding new opportunities for attorneys. The name of the company that he is working on is the Law Firm Incubator (LFIS). For small firm and solo practitioners, this is a great way to grow your business in a new way, without spending a fortune. The idea is a shared office suite in a great area that is very presentable. At the same time, Mr. Furnari wants to set up a collaborative atmosphere that allows the attorneys to share resources. This allows attorneys working on a small budget to have access to new marketing materials and networking groups that help grow their business.

When we heard about this idea, we asked Stephen to come in for a short interview. He explains that by combining the right types of lawyers in a collaborative office environment, there are a tremendous amount of opportunities for everyone involved. All in all, this will help those lawyers who are too busy working “in” their business learn to work “on” their business. Such things as cooperative case work, client referrals, shared access to marketing materials, and special office events will allow each of the attorneys to receive the same opportunities they might get in a larger firm setting. Who knows, one day they might share their New York CLE resources as well.

Below is a short clip of an interview with Stephen Furnari in which he explains what the Law Firm Incubator is all about. For more information on the project, you can check out Mr. Furnari’s website at www.lawfirmincubator.com.

Amy Greenfield, Esq. is managing partner of Van Prooyen Greenfield, LLP. She is a lawyer, a communicator, and a businesswoman, but most importantly Amy is an entrepreneur. She has found an innovative way to approach public relations and continues to set herself apart from the pack.

Her firm, with locations in both New York and San Francisco, has a focus on public relations and litigation communications. They are a pioneer in merging public relations expertise with a law firm structure. Whereas there are a large number of PR Firms out there, Amy brings the added benefit of a strong legal background. Her added edge comes from the fact that her competition constantly has to beware of certain gray areas in the laws revolving around communications. There are attorney client privileges that cannot be violated. Many times, these privileges control the message that is acceptable to deliver to the public. In fact, many times public relations firms get themselves into trouble by releasing documents that are confidential, and that can have a cataclysmic impact in a high profile case.

Ms. Greenfield’s knowledge and background in law provides her the ability to combine these sets of skills and deliver the highest quality public relations consultation. Amy has surrounded herself with attorneys, former product managers, former reporters and editors from the largest new agencies, public policy experts and award-winning communicators; all of whom deliver the highest quality support and service to the firm’s clients. She has been involved with a number of high profile cases in such fields as technology, financial and entertainment.

Amy Greenfield has filmed two lectures for Lawline.com. The first, NY Advertising Rules 2007, deals with recent changes to New York advertising laws, and the second, Litigation Communications, in which she and Lori Teranishi go over some of the ways that law firms can use public relations to their advantage. Both demonstrate Ms. Greenfield’s passion and commitment to the field, her business, and her clients.

Many of us have sat in an orientation meeting at our new job and listened to the workplace harassment warnings given by someone from the HR department. It seems like anytime you pick up the paper you read about a new harassment case of some kind. Well, not too long ago, employment law and sexual harassment did not even exist. In fact, it wasn’t until 1990 that an amendment to the civil rights laws brought the idea of workplace discrimination into sight.

Murray Schwartz has been practicing law since 1949. You may have heard his name mentioned before. After all, he is managing partner of Schwartz & Perry, LLP, a well-known employment law firm focusing on workplace harassment on the basis of sex, age, race, and disability. This is an area of law that he has become very passionate about and to which he has devoted his entire practice. A certified expert in the field, Murray has spent years educating his peers on the many aspects of employment law through lectures and counseling. He has become a well respected member of the law community and deserves everything he has achieved.

Murray Schwartz and his daughter, Davida Perry, won the first sexual harassment case in the US in 1990 called Thoreson v. Guccione and Penthouse Magazine. The ruling in this case set an extremely important precedent in employment law, that a defendant could establish a claim of sexual harassment against his or her employer based solely on the testimony of the victim. Many of today’s sexual harassment laws can be traced back to the ruling that Murray Schwartz won years ago.

Another important case that Schwartz & Perry has tried is Bracker v. Cohen. In 1991, the City of New York enacted a Human Rights Law authorizing a private cause of judicial action for victims of employment discrimination. The New York City law was challenged and Mr. Schwartz successfully argued at both the trial court and the appellate level on behalf of the law’s constitutionality. His position was upheld in both courts and as a result, New York City has the benefits of an effective New York City Human Rights Law.

Additionally, a jury in the New York County Supreme Court, awarded a Schwartz & Perry client in the case of McIntyre v. Manhattan Ford, an award of $6.6 million dollars in a sexual harassment and retaliation suit. This was the highest award that had been granted to a single plaintiff in a sexual harassment claim.  Although the award was reduced to $3.1 million dollars on appeal, on the ground that the court considered the jury verdict too high, the reduced award stands as one of the highest jury awards for a single plaintiff in a sexual harassment case in the United States.

These three cases Thoreson, Bracker and McIntyre, have frequently been referred to as the "trilogy" of cases, each of which is highly significant in the development of the field of employment law. Schwartz & Perry understandably considers themselves privileged to have been the attorneys for the plaintiff in each of those three landmark cases.

Murray Schwartz is also a faculty member with Lawline.com. He has presented lectures that can be viewed for CLE credits on Age Discrimination and Trial Strategies for Employment Law. In the following video, Mr. Schwartz shares with us first hand that employment law and workplace harassment cases have unique challenges. There are a number of reasons for this of course, most importantly because is that it happens behind closed doors. There is usually a lack of evidence, a lack of witnesses, and a cover-up that naturally took place. However, Mr. Schwartz has continued to break down barriers and overcome hurdles to make these issues heard. For all of that we honor him, and praise his continued devotion to the field.

Featured Interview with attorneys at Schwartz & Perry